Choosing the right web hosting provider is a big decision that affects how well your website functions and how much you end up spending. Let’s take a close look at two well-known hosting services, Bluehost and Arvixe, to help you decide which one might be a better fit for you.
In this article, we’ll examine the pricing, ease of use, performance, customer support, and overall features to determine which one is the web hosting service for your business.
Bluehost vs. Arvixe: Overview
Bluehost
Bluehost, founded in 2003, has become a prominent player in the web hosting industry and is officially recommended by WordPress.org. Renowned for its robust services and exceptional support, Bluehost caters to a diverse clientele, from beginners to large businesses. Its user-friendly setup and strong performance make it especially popular for hosting WordPress sites. This combination of accessibility and reliability has solidified Bluehost’s reputation as a top choice for both newcomers and established enterprises.
Its web hosting services include:
- Shared Hosting
- VPS Hosting
- Dedicated Hosting
- Cloud Hosting
- Managed WordPress Hosting
Arvixe
Arvixe has also been around since 2003, providing a wide range of hosting services. Known for its diverse array of plans, Arvixe aims to cater to various customer needs, including more detailed business hosting options, making it a versatile choice for many types of users.
Its web hosting services include:
- Web Hosting
- Reseller Hosting
- VPS Hosting
- Dedicated Servers
- Business Hosting
- Cloud Hosting
Bluehost vs Arvixe: Features
Feature | Bluehost | Arvixe |
Free Domain Name | Yes (1 year) | Yes (1 year) |
SSL Certificate | Free | Free |
Website Builder | AI-powered, user-friendly | Standard, less intuitive |
WordPress Optimized | Yes (One-click install, managed options) | Yes (One-click install) |
Unlimited Websites | Yes | Yes |
Performance | High performance with SSD storage | Standard performance, potential for slower speeds |
Support | 24/7 with live chat, phone, email | 24/7 support but slower response times |
Backups | Daily | Available |
CDN | Included | Not standard, optional |
Google Credits | Available with certain plans | N/A |
Control Panels | Enhanced cPanel | Standard cPanel |
Bluehost is ideal for WordPress users, offering a free domain for the first year, SSL certificates, and an AI-powered website builder across all plans, enhancing its ease of use for both beginners and advanced users. It features one-click WordPress installations and managed services for optimized performance.
Arvixe also provides free domains and SSL certificates, offering good value. However, it has a different feature set compared to Bluehost. While it offers backups and optional CDN, it doesn’t provide Google Credits, and its standard control panel might not be as functional as Bluehost’s enhanced version. Generally, Arvixe has higher pricing, which may not reflect the value, especially with slower support responses. This makes Bluehost a more attractive option due to its comprehensive services that boost user experience and site performance.
Shared Hosting
Shared web hosting involves hosting multiple websites on a single server, allocating resources like memory and processing power. This makes it a cost-effective option, but high traffic on one website can affect others on the same server.
Bluehost’s shared hosting is affordable and great for WordPress users, offering a free domain for the first year, SSL certificates, and CDN services. It’s ideal for bloggers and small businesses, known for its excellent customer support and easy-to-use tools.
While performance is generally strong, you might experience slight slowdowns during high-traffic periods. To enhance performance during these times, you can explore additional optimization options. Additionally, after the initial introductory period, there is a modest price adjustment to continue providing excellent service and features.
Arvixe provides shared hosting on both Linux and Windows servers, with unlimited storage and bandwidth, plus a free domain for as long as you use their service. This flexibility is appreciated for meeting diverse user needs. The service generally performs well, but some users have reported occasional delays. On a great note, the company is actively enhancing customer support to further improve the overall user experience.
VPS Hosting
VPS hosting offers a balance between shared and dedicated hosting by providing a virtual server that mimics a dedicated server yet shares a physical server with others. This setup offers greater control and improved security at a lower cost than dedicated hosting.
Bluehost’s VPS hosting is a cost-effective choice for expanding businesses, providing high-speed NVMe SSD storage, full root access, and a user-friendly enhanced cPanel. With the latest AMD EPYC CPUs and DDR5 memory, it offers robust performance and scalability. It’s initially affordable.
Key features include advanced security, a free dedicated IP address, and 24/7 support. Upgrading within the NVMe plans is easy, but moving from old SSD plans requires manual migration. Also, prices may slightly increase when renewing for reliable resources.
Meanwhile, Arvixe offers VPS hosting with both Linux and Windows options, featuring 50 GB dedicated disk space, unmetered monthly data transfers, 2GB memory, CPU Core 4, and an intuitive cPanel. However, some users have reported slower performance and less responsive customer support, which could affect the efficiency and reliability of your VPS environment.
Dedicated Hosting
Dedicated hosting means you have an entire server just for your website, not shared with anyone else. This gives you the highest level of performance, security, and control, suitable for high-traffic websites or those needing specific setups.
Bluehost’s dedicated hosting offers top performance with the latest AMD EPYC 9534 CPUs, DDR5 memory, and ultra-fast NVMe SSDs. It includes a 10 Gbps network with unmetered bandwidth and RAID 1 mirrored storage for reliable data protection.
Users get full root access for complete control and an upgraded cPanel for easy management. The hosting plan also features a 99.9% uptime guarantee and advanced security with DDoS protection and SSL certificates.
Although at a higher cost, especially with additional upgrades and resources, this service provides scalable plans and robust performance. It’s ideal for businesses with high demand.
On the other hand, Arvixe provides dedicated hosting with flexible server configurations, including options for Linux or Windows platforms, and up to 1TB of HDD or 512GB of SSD storage. Providing robust customization and unlimited data transfers, the service offers significant flexibility.
Although the pricing is on the higher side and some users have noted occasional inconsistencies in customer support, the company is committed to refining these aspects to better support long-term business needs.
Cloud Hosting
Cloud hosting spreads your website’s data across multiple interconnected servers, allowing it to draw resources from various places as needed. This setup enhances your site’s performance and reliability, ensuring it stays operational even if one server fails.
Bluehost’s cloud hosting guarantees a 100% uptime and is designed to be highly scalable, making it easy to manage resources as your needs change. It features automatic failover, which ensures your website remains available even if one server fails, by seamlessly switching to another server in the cloud.
This hosting type is competitively priced and includes features like data mirroring and integrated caching. Data mirroring protects your data by keeping copies on multiple machines, while integrated caching speed upload times by storing frequently accessed data closer to your visitors. With all these features, Bluehost’s cloud hosting is ideal for agencies with higher traffic.
Arvixe, on the other hand, offers cloud hosting with plans that include a variety of CPU, RAM, and storage options, designed to cater to both Linux and Windows users.
Bluehost vs Arvixe: Pricing
Service Type | Bluehost Starting Price | Arvixe Starting Price |
Shared Hosting | $1.99/month | $7/month |
VPS Hosting | $31.99/month | $40/month |
Dedicated Hosting | $91.98/month | $43/month |
WordPress Hosting | $1.99/month | N/A |
Cloud Hosting | $29.99/month | $111/month |
Reseller Hosting | N/A | $23/month |
Bluehost
Bluehost is known for being wallet-friendly, making it an excellent choice for those looking to keep costs down. Their basic shared hosting starts at just $1.99 per month, including perks like a free domain for the first year, a free content delivery network (CDN) to speed up your site, and a free SSL certificate for security. For more advanced needs, Bluehost’s VPS and dedicated server plans start at $31.99 and $91.98 per month, respectively, offering better performance and scalability.
Arvixe
Arvixe, on the other hand, starts at a higher price. Its most basic shared hosting plan begins at $7 per month. More robust plans like business hosting and VPS hosting start at $25.20 and $40 per month, respectively. This makes Bluehost a more appealing choice for individuals seeking enhanced features and cutting-edge technology at an affordable price. For instance, Bluehost offers seamless WordPress integration with managed hosting that includes automatic updates, enhanced security, and optimized performance, making it easier to run a WordPress site efficiently.
Bluehost vs Arvixe: Ease of Use
Bluehost
Bluehost excels in usability with its unique control panel, introduced in 2018, which provides a streamlined and intuitive interface. It includes a marketplace with direct access to over 900 WordPress themes and plugins, making site management straightforward. The control panel features a dedicated section for marketing tools to enhance SEO, and an ‘Advanced’ section that leads to a traditional cPanel for deeper server management. Additionally, Bluehost’s AI-powered website builder for WordPress allows users without technical skills to create professional-looking sites easily. The setup process is smooth, supported by extensive guides and resources, ensuring users can get their websites up and running quickly.
Arvixe
Arvixe uses a standard cPanel, which, while functional, lacks the modern features and simplicity found in Bluehost’s control panel. The cPanel is effective for managing domains, email accounts, and databases but does not offer the same level of integration and user-friendly enhancements. Arvixe also provides a website builder, but it lacks the advanced AI features that help make Bluehost stand out, making it less accessible for users without technical expertise.
Bluehost vs Arvixe: Performance and Security
Feature | Bluehost | Arvixe |
Storage Type | SSD | SSD |
CDN | Global CDN | Basic CDN |
Uptime Guarantee | 99.9% (100% if Cloud Hosting) | 99.9% |
Backups | Regular Bakcups | Regular Backups |
Both Bluehost and Arvixe guarantee 100% uptime, a standard in the industry for reliability. Bluehost leverages the latest technology, including SSDs for faster data access and a global CDN network to ensure quick load times for visitors worldwide. Regular system updates and maintenance help keep sites running smoothly and securely. Additionally, Bluehost’s resource protection technology isolates websites using excessive resources, maintaining consistent performance even during traffic spikes. They also offer integrated caching solutions for WordPress users and easy CDN integration through a partnership with Cloudflare, enhancing speed and efficiency.
Security features:
- Free SSL Certificates
- SiteLock for malware protection
- CodeGuard for daily backups and monitoring
- Spam protection for email accounts
- Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
- Secure Shell (SSH) access for secure file transfers
Arvixe, while also using SSDs and providing basic CDN services, has had mixed reviews regarding performance. Some users report inconsistent speeds, which could be problematic if website speed and availability are critical for your business. While Arvixe offers regular backups and a standard uptime guarantee.
Security features:
- Free SSL Certificates
- Nightly security updates
- Brute force detection
- Firewalls
- Anti-DDoS protection
- One free SSL certificate and dedicated IP with Business Class, VPS Class, Dedicated Class, and reseller packages
Bluehost vs. Arvixe: Support
Customer support is crucial, especially for those who aren’t web experts. Both Bluehost and Arvixe offer 24/7 support through live chat, phone, and email, along with extensive articles and tutorials for self-help. However, Bluehost stands out with its faster response times and more detailed assistance, making it easier for users to quickly resolve pressing issues.
Bluehost
Bluehost provides round-the-clock support, ensuring users can get help whenever needed, which is essential for maintaining website uptime. Their support team includes WordPress experts who can offer specialized help for WordPress sites, aiding in troubleshooting specific issues and optimizing performance. Additionally, Bluehost has a robust knowledge base with detailed guides, tutorials, Bluehost WordPress academy, and FAQs, which is beneficial for users who prefer self-help or want to learn more about managing their websites. Bluehost designs the support interface to be user-friendly, guiding users through solutions and reducing frustration during technical problems.
Arvixe
Arvixe provides 24/7 support through multiple channels with a knowledgeable team. While some users have experienced variability in response times and the level of detail in assistance compared to other hosts, the company is dedicated to refining its support to ensure a better overall user experience.
Bluehost vs Arvixe: Final Thoughts
Looking at all these aspects, Bluehost tends to offer more for your money, making it a strong choice for anyone from beginners to seasoned website owners. It combines affordability with powerful features and user-friendly tools, making it a reliable and convenient choice for hosting your website. Undeniably, Arvixe offers solid services, but Bluehost’s comprehensive offerings provide a more seamless and supportive web hosting experience, living up on its reputation of being among the best web hosting services.
Whether you’re starting a new project or looking to improve your current website, Bluehost delivers a robust platform that supports your online presence effectively.
FAQ About Bluehost vs Arvixe
Bluehost offers a more user-friendly interface with an AI-powered website builder and enhanced cPanel, while Arvixe uses a standard cPanel and offers both Linux and Windows hosting.
Bluehost starts at $1.99/month for shared hosting, whereas Arvixe’s shared hosting starts at $7/month. Bluehost generally offers more affordable VPS and dedicated hosting plans.
Bluehost is recognized for its quick response times and expertise in WordPress support. Arvixe also offers 24/7 support but has received varied feedback on responsiveness.
Both offer free SSL certificates and regular backups. Bluehost also includes SiteLock, CodeGuard, spam protection, and two-factor authentication.
Bluehost generally offers better performance with SSD storage, global CDN, and resource protection. Arvixe has had mixed reviews on site speed and reliability.
Bluehost guarantees 100% uptime compared to Arvixe. Its infrastructure and updates also contribute to more consistent reliability. Arvixe has had some reported issues with uptime consistency.
With one-click installations and managed hosting, Bluehost optimizes for WordPress, making it an ideal choice for WordPress users. Arvixe supports WordPress but lacks specialized features.